Your Pilot's on Fire

Last updated
"Your Pilot's on Fire"
RuPaul's Drag Race episode
Episode no.Season 9
Episode 9
Episode chronology
 Previous
"RuPaul Roast"
Next 
"Makeovers: Crew Better Work"
List of episodes

"Your Pilot's on Fire" is the ninth episode of the ninth season of RuPaul's Drag Race . [1] [2] [3] It originally aired on May 19, 2017. Lisa Robertson and Noah Galvin are guest judges.

Contents

Sasha Velour and Shea Couleé were both winners of the episode's main challenge, and Valentina is eliminated from the competition after placing in the bottom and losing a lip-sync against Nina Bo'nina Brown to "Greedy" by Ariana Grande.

Episode

For the episode's main challenge, the contestants pair up to create, write, and perform in their own television pilots.

Valentina is eliminated from the competition. Valentina DragCon cropped.png
Valentina is eliminated from the competition.

On the main stage, RuPaul welcomes judges Michelle Visage and Carson Kressley, as well as guest judges Lisa Robertson and Noah Galvin. The runway category is "Club Kid Couture". Peppermint, Sasha Velour, Shea Couleé, and Trinity Taylor receive positive critiques, and Sasha Velour and Shea Couleé are both winners of the challenge. Alexis Michelle, Nina Bo'nina Brown, and Valentina receive negative critiques, and Alexis Michelle is deemed safe. Nina Bo'nina Brown and Valentina place in the bottom and face off in a lip-sync to "Greedy" (2016) by Ariana Grande. [4] Nina Bo'nina Brown wins the lip-sync and Valentina is eliminated from the competition. [5]

Production

The episode originally aired on May 19, 2017.

Reception

Oliver Sava of The A.V. Club gave the episode a rating of 'A'. [6]

Related Research Articles

<i>RuPauls Drag Race All Stars</i> American reality television series

RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars is an American reality competition spin off edition of the original RuPaul's Drag Race, which is produced by World of Wonder, for Logo TV and later VH1. The show premiered on October 22, 2012, on Logo TV, before relocating to VH1. However, it was announced on February 20, 2020, on the show's official Twitter account that the fifth season would premiere on June 5, 2020, on Showtime. Following the cast announcement on May 8, 2020, producers announced that the show would remain airing on VH1 instead of Showtime due to the COVID-19 pandemic which caused "various scheduling and programming adjustments". On February 24, 2021, Paramount+ announced via Twitter that the streaming service would be the new home to the series for the sixth season.

<i>RuPauls Drag Race</i> season 9 Season of television series

The ninth season of RuPaul's Drag Race began airing on March 24, 2017, on VH1. The returning judges included RuPaul, Michelle Visage, Ross Mathews and Carson Kressley. Fourteen drag queens competed for the title of "America's Next Drag Superstar". The prizes for the winner are a one-year supply of Anastasia Beverly Hills cosmetics, a cash prize of $100,000, and a crown and scepter provided by Shandar. The full list of contestants was revealed on February 2, 2017. This season saw the return of season eight contestant Cynthia Lee Fontaine, who finished the competition in 10th place.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Farrah Moan</span> American drag queen and entertainer

Cameron Clayton, better known by the stage name Farrah Moan, is an American drag queen, model, actor, make-up artist and internet personality best known for participating in the 9th season of the reality TV show RuPaul's Drag Race, placing eighth, as well as participating in the 4th season of All Stars, where she placed ninth. Her stage name is a pun on the term "pheromone", whilst also being a reference to American actress Farrah Fawcett. In some interviews, she jokingly states that her drag surname is a reference to "being a whore".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexis Michelle</span> American drag performer

Alexander J. Michaels, stage name Alexis Michelle, is an American drag queen and singer who came to international attention on the ninth season of RuPaul's Drag Race. As of 2019, she stars in the TLC transformational makeover television series Dragnificent as the makeup and body image expert. She released her debut album, Lovefool, in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sasha Velour</span> American drag performer and artist

Alexander "Sasha" Hedges Steinberg, known professionally as Sasha Velour, is an American drag queen, artist, actor, and stage and television producer, based in Brooklyn, New York. Velour is known for winning the ninth season of RuPaul's Drag Race, her drag revue NightGowns, and her one-queen theatrical work, Smoke & Mirrors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nina Bo'nina Brown</span> American drag performer

Pierre Leverne Dease, better known by the stage name Nina Bo'nina Brown, is an American drag queen and television personality best known for starring on the ninth season of RuPaul's Drag Race, where she placed sixth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shea Couleé</span> American drag queen, musician, actor, and podcaster

Jaren Kyei Merrell, known professionally as Shea Couleé, is an American drag queen, musician, actor, podcaster, and fixture of the Chicago nightlife scene. Born in Warsaw, Indiana, they began their drag career in 2012. In 2017, Couleé achieved international fame after competing on season nine of RuPaul's Drag Race, placing in the top four. In 2020, Couleé won the fifth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars. Couleé later returned to compete on the all-winners seventh season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars in 2022, once again placing in the top four.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vanessa Vanjie Mateo</span> American drag queen

Vanessa Vanjie Mateo, sometimes known as Miss Vanjie or simply Vanjie, is the stage name of José Luis Cancel, an American drag performer known for competing on the tenth season of RuPaul's Drag Race and placing fifth on the eleventh season of the show. In addition to competing on Drag Race, she has also appeared in many of its spin-offs, including RuPaul's Secret Celebrity Drag Race, RuPaul's Drag Race: Vegas Revue, Canada's Drag Race and RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, the latter of which she appeared as a contestant for its ninth season.

"Oh. My. Gaga!" is the first episode of the ninth season of RuPaul's Drag Race. Lady Gaga is a guest judge. The episode was recognized by the Primetime Emmy Awards.

"She Done Already Done Brought It On" is the second episode of the ninth season of RuPaul's Drag Race. Lisa Kudrow makes a guest appearance. Jaymes Mansfield is eliminated from the competition after placing in the bottom two and losing a lip-sync against Kimora Blac to "Love Shack" by The B-52s.

"Good Morning Bitches" is the fourth episode of the ninth season of RuPaul's Drag Race. Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman and Naya Rivera are guest judges.

"Reality Stars: The Musical" is the fifth episode of the ninth season of the American reality competition television series RuPaul's Drag Race, which aired on VH1 on April 21, 2017. The episode has contestants take selfies with the Pit Crew for the mini-challenge, and perform a Hamilton-inspired musical about the Kardashian family and other celebrities for the main challenge. Todrick Hall and Meghan Trainor serve as guest judges, alongside regular panelists RuPaul, Michelle Visage, and Carson Kressley.

"9021-HO" is the seventh episode of the ninth season of RuPaul's Drag Race. It originally aired on May 5, 2017. Jennie Garth and Tori Spelling are guest judges.

"RuPaul Roast " is the eighth episode of the ninth season of RuPaul's Drag Race. It originally aired on May 12, 2017. Tamar Braxton and Fortune Feimster are guest judge.

"Makeovers: Crew Better Work" is the tenth episode of the ninth season of RuPaul's Drag Race. It originally aired on May 26, 2017. Kesha and Zaldy are guest judges.

"Gayest Ball Ever" is the eleventh episode of the ninth season of RuPaul's Drag Race. It originally aired on June 2, 2017. Andie MacDowell and Joan Smalls are guest judges.

"Category Is" is the eleventh episode of the ninth season of RuPaul's Drag Race. It originally aired on June 9, 2017.

Digital Drag Fest was a digital drag concert series hosted by Producer Entertainment Group. Beginning on March 27, 2020, it was originally supposed to be a limited engagement until April 12 but, due to overwhelming demand, the series was extended to May 30. The aim of the series is to allow drag and LGBT performers who have had shows cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic a chance to perform for their fans. 50 percent of the proceeds from the event's merchandise would be donated to GLAAD, and several performers from the event also pledged a portion of their ticket sales to the organization.

"Nice Girls Roast" is the twelfth episode of the thirteenth season of RuPaul's Drag Race. It originally aired on March 26, 2021. Loni Love is a guest judge.

"Whatcha Unpackin?" is the first episode of the eleventh season of RuPaul's Drag Race. It originally aired on February 28, 2019. Miley Cyrus is a guest judge. Silky Nutmeg Ganache wins the episode's mini-challenge, and Brooke Lynn Hytes wins the main challenge. Soju is eliminated from the competition after placing in the bottom two and losing a lip-sync against Kahanna Montrese to Cyrus' "The Best of Both Worlds".

References

  1. Henderson, Eric (2017-05-20). "RuPaul's Drag Race Recap: Season 9, Episode 9, "Your Pilot's On Fire"". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on 2022-09-26. Retrieved 2024-03-15.
  2. "Carson Kressley Questions His Own Styling Choices In Tonight's Recap Of 'RuPaul's Drag Race'". Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on 2023-10-08. Retrieved 2024-03-15.
  3. Burns, Chase (2017-05-06). "RuPaul's Drag Race Recap: "Your Pilot's On Fire" Reminds Us RuPaul Is Savage and No One Is Safe". The Stranger. Archived from the original on 2023-02-07. Retrieved 2024-03-15.
  4. "Valentina's Masked 'Drag Race' Lip Sync Was Crazier Than We Thought". www.out.com. Archived from the original on 2023-09-27. Retrieved 2024-03-15.
  5. "Is This the Most Shocking Elimination in 'Drag Race' Herstory?". www.out.com. Archived from the original on 2023-09-29. Retrieved 2024-03-15.
  6. "Drag Race season 9 finally reaches excellence when the queens make TV pilots". The A.V. Club. 2017-05-20. Archived from the original on 2023-08-13. Retrieved 2024-03-15.